Super Bowl Fever Grips Hub!

And the hands doing the gripping belong to Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, whose outsized mitts were the subject of a story in Thursday’s New York Times (an honorary local daily by way of its New England edition).

Gronkowski’s Hands Are Key to His Success

INDIANAPOLIS — The legend of New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski includes the most scrutinized left ankle in town, a nickname befitting a caveman, and hands as large as a cereal box. Or a laptop. Or a legal pad.

From thumb to pinkie, Gronkowski’s hands measure 10 ¾ inches — nearly as long as a football.